PapLite Pro was inspired by Professor Chong’s fieldwork during her time at University of Putra Malaysia. Conducting cervical screenings in under-resourced settings, she observed the challenges faced by both medical personnel and patients.

“I noticed how outdated tools caused discomfort for women and limited visibility for clinicians. It struck me—why weren’t we leveraging modern technology for something as critical as cervical cancer screening?” Chong recalls.

Her lightbulb moment came from an unexpected source—a LED-equipped ear-cleaning tool she’d purchased online for her children. The simplicity and efficiency of the device planted the seed for what would eventually become PapLite Pro.

Backed by Taylor’s University’s robust ecosystem of interdisciplinary research and cutting-edge facilities like its Makerspace and 3D printing labs, Chong’s vision became a reality.

While many women have traditionally avoided pap smears due to its discomfort and invasiveness, the PapLite Pro offers a less invasive, more comfortable screening experience. It enhances the visualisation of the endocervix using light, significantly improving the precision of cell sampling, leading to more accurate diagnostic results. 

“This innovation could significantly reduce false negatives and improve diagnostic outcomes,” says Chong. “Ultimately, we hope it will lead to earlier detection and fewer cases of cervical cancer.”

Beyond its immediate impact in clinics, the soon-to-be-patented PapLite Pro will eventually incorporate artificial intelligence to analyse cytology images, bridging the gap for underserved rural communities. With mobile phone integration, the tool allows for remote diagnostics, making cervical screening more accessible and affordable for women in hard-to-reach areas.

Chong credits her collaborative team at Taylor’s University for bringing this innovation to life. “Being surrounded by experts in AI, engineering and design has been life-changing. It’s this synergy that enables us to tackle complex healthcare challenges effectively.”

Expressing optimism for the future of women’s healthcare in Asia, Chong is convinced that AI and machine-learning tools are poised to be a game-changer revolutionising how we analyse data from health screenings.

“Although Pap smear is the simplest and safest method for cervical cancer detection using cytology-based screening, it still depends heavily on the skill of the pathologists or cytoscreeners who look under a microscope and decipher whether those sampled cells are normal or pre-cancerous. As a result, there’s often a lot of false negative rates.

“If you train an AI, if you have a very good algorithm that’s trained well, the accuracy percentage can be higher and you can greatly reduce the false negative and even false positive rates following screenings.”

Chong’s efforts represent a small yet impactful step in addressing the global burden of cervical cancer.

Looking at her journey so far, she remains refreshingly modest about her role in impacting women’s health. “There are so many great scientists in Malaysia and worldwide—I’m just making a tiny contribution,” she says. Her ultimate hope? To see the incidence of cervical cancer decrease through more accurate Pap smear tests.

Chong’s view on change underscores her commitment to continuous progress: “Change is constant and unpredictable, but I like to think of it as an evolution into something better. My goal is simply to be part of that transformation.”

Front & Female Changemakers celebrates the extraordinary journeys of inspiring women who have emerged as powerful changemakers in a range of fields, offering a glimpse into their lives and showcasing their courage, vision and relentless pursuit of change and progress. From social entrepreneurs and business leaders to educators, artists, activists and scientists, Front & Female changemakers exemplify the ability to challenge the status quo and demonstrate the power of women to effect change.

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